Nottingham Forest’s 3-1 win over Manchester City could well prove to be a sliding-doors moment for Oliver Glasner’s tenure at the City Ground, and recalling Ryan Yates might prove a masterstroke.

The headline narrative will focus on the brilliant Liam Delap with his two-goal haul, displaying the sort of clinical finishing that many outsiders have suggested he’s not capable of providing.

However, the most illuminating aspect of this victory sat proud as punch in the midfield engine room, armband on, time to go to work and get this football club moving in the right direction!

The return of Ryan Yates felt sentimental; however, it proved far more than that, with the captain winning duels and showcases that player profile and competitive intensity often outweigh pure technical talent.

Why Yates had been left out of the starting XI

When Forest played Leeds on the opening day of the season, Yates had picked up an injury in the build-up which ruled him out of contention. Not that he’d have probably been selected to start by Glasner anyway.

Prior to Saturday, Yates had not started a match all season. His only outing at all had come last week in the 2-0 defeat at Brentford when he came on at half-time, deployed to make life difficult for the Bees.

Yates’ absence certainly wasn’t a slight on the effort he puts in on a day-to-day basis, it was merely a case of Glasner prioritising technical ability over passion and determination.

However, with Forest struggling near the bottom of the table, a change of strategy was called for, with last week’s introduction of Yates providing fans with a first hint that a reset was required and it was time to get someone involved who genuinely understands the hurt of the fan base.

The turning point: Yates’ performance against Man City

There is a sense that horses for courses are required sometimes in football, and as Jamie Carragher has previously said, Ryan Yates is a ‘nark’ to play against!

Made a starter for the first time this season, Yates delivered a performance against City that allowed Forest to alter the tempo and dictate the complexion of the game, evident with Jair Cunha stepping into the final third to rob Josko Gvardiol and score a goal after just six minutes.

Without Yates – and Xaver Schlager – acting as a protective shield, perhaps the Forest central defender would have thought twice about making such an ambitious move and entering nose-bleed territory.

Across his 79-minute outing, Yates disrupted City’s build-up play constantly through relentless pressing, second-ball recoveries and timely tackles. He constantly closed down the space in central pockets, forcing turnovers and to top off his display, he nearly scored, with his deflected effort striking the top of the crossbar.

Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez are both considered world-class midfielders. Yet on Saturday, it wasn’t the City stars who shone at the City Ground, dominated by Yates and his tag-team partner Schlager.

Yates and Schlager: A partnership built on aggression

The standout tactical lesson from the victory was the work done by Yates and Schlager in tandem. In previous games, with Yates sitting on the bench, Forest’s central unit has lacked that extra bit required to intimidate the opposition in transition.

Paired together, Yates and Schlager provided an ideal mix of defensive coverage and sheer aggression. Austria star Schlager was integral for Forest’s second goal, with Yates’ clearance allowing Morgan Gibbs-White to counter attack and set up the third goal in the second half.

Schlager got stuck into ground duels in an aggressive manner, with Yates acting as the enforcer, the leader of men, sweeping up loose balls and ensuring Anderson and Fernandez never got comfortable.

Leadership, support and supporter connection

You can look at all the data points and heatmaps you want, but Yates does bring some qualities to the team that cannot be measured purely on a stat sheet. Glasner shared details of Yates’ rousing message to Forest stars in the dressing room – claiming it was the best he’s heard as a manager

For Forest fans, Yates represents the soul and identity of the club. As the only survivor from the promotion-winning campaign of 2021/22, there’s a sense that Yates just gets it and certainly understands the emotional demands of the City Ground crowd, urging the supporters behind the team every time he or a teammate won a tackle.

Jamie Redknapp lauded Yates after this game and suggested that it was no surprise that Forest found their sparkle when he was simply named in the team, and perhaps he’s got a point.

Million-dollar question: automatic starter or specialist selection?

The big question for Glasner to stew over for two weeks is how he uses Yates moving forward. Has the manager realised that the physical intensity is a non-negotiable for his system to function properly in the Premier League?

Yates proved indispensable for Forest against a high-possession side in Manchester City, where disrupting their press and making life awkward is a necessity. However, there does remain a conversation to be had over his role against sides who line up in a low block.

Whether he becomes an automatic starter every single week remains to be seen. He could become a specialist pick for high-intensity fixtures, but Saturday does prove that the profile of Forest’s captain is a useful string to Glasner’s bow, and after such a display, the shirt is now Yates’ to lose!